Winemaker Challenge 2010 Judges

Hans Backhoff
Monte Xanic
Guadalupe Valley, Baja Mexico

Hans has been winemaker at Mexico's most admired boutique winery since its inception nearly 20 years ago. Monte Xanic, located in the Guadalupe Valley just north of the city of Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico, produces premium wines from classic European grape varieties such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, nebbiolo and tempranillo. In the opinion of nationally syndicated wine columnist Robert Whitley, the wines of Monte Xanic are the finest made in Mexico --and among the finest in Latin America, too.

Michael Beaulac
Pine Ridge Vineyards
Stag's Leap District, California

We first met Michael when he was assistant winemaker alongside the talented Christina Benz at Murphy-Goode in Sonoma's Alexander Valley. He subsequently crossed the Mayacamas and became winemaker at Napa's Markham Vineyards before his most recent gig at St. Supery, where he put in eight glorious years before moving down the Valley to become General Manager/Winemaker at Pine Ridge in the Stag's Leap District. Michael is aces with the Bordeaux grape varieties and is a tremendous addition to the Winemaker Challenge.

Amy Butler
Edward Sellers
Paso Robles, California

Edward Sellers is part of the new generation of wineries and winemakers in the red-hot Paso Robles district of Central California. Winemaker Amy Butler has played a huge role in putting Edward Sellers on the map, crafting distinctive and elegant wines that have brought the winery much acclaim in a breathtakingly short period of time.

 Jac Cole
Spring Mountain Vineyards
Napa Valley, California

Jac is the maestro at one of the Napa Valley's most historically significant wineries, high atop Spring Mountain overlooking St. Helena and the entire Napa Valley. Jac's specialty is cabernet sauvignon and bordeaux blends, but he also makes a killer syrah. Previously he helped turn around quality at Charles Krug, where he earned a reputation for outstanding merlot.

Etienne Cowper
Wilson Creek
Temecula Valley, California

Etienne, after a long and distinguished career at Mount Palomar Winery, has turned around quality at Temecula's Wilson Creek Winery almost overnight. Etienne was among the first to recognize the potential of Mediterranean grape varieties in the Temecula Valley and earned numerous awards for his cortese and rhone-style blends while at Mount Palomar.

Gary Eberle
Eberle Winery
Paso Robles, California

He is quite simply the Godfather of Paso Robles wine. Gary was the genius who introduced syrah to Paso while making wine at the family winery, Estrella River, in the early 1970s. Since starting his own winery more than 25 years ago he's introduced viognier and a red rhone blend, too. But it's the Paso cabernet that nearly brings a tear to the big man's eye. Gary believes passionately that cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles is as good as any being made. Visit the winery sometime and talk him out of a bottle of one of the older Eberle Estate cabs and, we promise you, the case will be closed!

Merry Edwards
Merry Edwards
Russian River Valley, California

Merry is a legend in California winemaking, and that's a fact. At the winery that bears her name she makes boldly flavored, beautifully structured pinot noir from the Russian River Valley. And her sauvignon blanc is just about as good as any sauvignon you will find from the state of California. On the basis of her work at Merry Edwards alone, she must be considered one of California's all-time greats. But there is so much more. Merry first made her mark in the Santa Cruz Mountains where she dazzled with her winemaking at the historic Mount Eden Vineyards. Later she helped lead merlot and sauvignon blanc out of the wilderness as winemaker at Matanzas Creek. Unless you were around at the time, you have no idea what a difficult task that was! And now she makes pinots that will stand you on your head. And we are thrilled to have her on our judging team.

Ric Forman
Forman Vineyard
Napa Valley

Ric should need no introduction, for he is one of the legends of California wine. Here goes anyway. If you Google him you will discover Ric was the first California winemaker to vintage date a varietal Merlot. He was the longtime winemaker at Sterling Vineyards before Bill Dyer, and he was founding winemaker at Newton Vineyards. He was among the first California winemakers to barrel ferment chardonnay, and he is also considered one of the leading authorities on the Bordeaux grape varieties in California. He is much sought-after as a consultant and now makes wine under his own label, Forman Vineyard.

Daryl Groom
Groom Wines
Barossa Valley, Australia

Flying winemaker Daryl Groom would be at the top of anyone's list of who's who among moderen winemakers. Daryl made one of the world's most sought-after wines, Penfolds Grange, between 1984 and 1990, when he moved to the United States to take charge of the Geyser Peak project. He later became chief winemaker for all wines in the Peak International portfolio before creating his own brand, Groom Wines, in Australia's Barossa Valley. Named Winemaker of the Year over his career by a number of prominent publications. Daryl also is winemaker of the a new winery project in San Francisco, Foggy Bridge Winery.

James Hall
Patz & Hall
Russian River Valley, California

James is the man of the hour for all of those wine enthusiasts who love great pinot noir and chardonnay. At Patz & Hall he makes numerous vineyard-designate wines from each of those grapes. Vintage after vintage they are among the most exciting new wines coming out of California, made in the truly Burgundian style of terroir-driven wines that clearly express a distinct vineyard site, or place. The only thing cookie cutter about Patz & Hall is its consistency of quality. The wines are sensational every year, seemingly regardless of the conditions of the vintage. We think the winemaker might have something to do with that!.

Adam LaZarre
Villa San-Juliette
Paso Robles, California

No California winemaker has done more in the arena of value over the past decade than Adam. He was on board when Monterey County's Hahn Estates affected a huge turnaround, making superb red and white wines in the $12 to $18 price range. Wines so good that they often took Best of Show awards at top wine competitions throughout the state, including the highest honors in Los Angeles, San Diego and Monterey. Adam has moved on to Villa San-Juliette in Paso Robles, where he's making a dynamite merlot and a killer red Bordeaux blend, among other things. Adam is now consulting on a white wine project in Spain's Rueda district -- in his spare time. He also makes wine under his own label, LaZarre.

Jon McPherson
South Coast Winery
Temecula Valley, California

Jon recently pulled off a rare double when for the second consecutive year  his South Coast Winery took the trophy for best winery in California  at the California State Fair. Jon is the original winemaker for this winery that is less than 10 years old, and he's done excellent work with Mediterranean grape varieties such as syrah, sangiovese, viognier, marsanne and roussanne. And his merlot and cabernet are award-winners as well, all of which adds up to the fact that he is one of the most "medaled" winemakers in California wine.

Janet Myers
Mount Veeder Vineyards
Franciscan
Napa Valley, California

With Janet the Winemaker Challenge gets two winemakers in one. She is one of the most hard-working winemakers in the business, handling production at both Mount Veeder Vineyards and Franciscan, two great Napa Valley wineries. Her Cabs from Mount Veeder are bold and lush, while the Bordeaux varietals and blends from Franciscan are the essence of elegance. And her wild ferment chardonnay at Franciscan, Cuvee Sauvage, is quite simply one of the finest chardonnays made in the Napa Valley. We're thrilled she's on our team!

Mike Richmond
Bouchaine Vineyards
Carneros, Napa Valley, California

Mike returned to Carneros as winemaker at Bouchaine in 2002. It was a homecoming of sorts for the man who pioneered pinot noir in that cool southern outpost of the Napa Valley. Mike was the original winemaker at Acacia when it opened its winery doors in 1979 with the goal of establishing the Carneros as a significant appellation for world class pinot noir. He proved to be a visionary pioneer, for no one was certain at the time that pinot would trhrive anywhere in California, nor that it would become the success that it is today. Acacia was subsequently acquired by the Chalone group and Mike moved to Chalone's Carmenet project, Carmenet. Since returning to the Carneros at Bouchaine he has been in the forefront of the renaissance of California chardonnay. And his pinots are still world class. We believe he's right back where he belongs!

Steve Rogstad
Cuvaison
Napa Valley, California

Steve Rogstad's seven-year tenure at Cuvaison was preceded by stints at Rombauer, Spring Mountain and Clos Pegase, giving him a well-rounded view of the Napa Valley before he took the reigns at Cuvaison, where he's made his mark with stylish, well-balanced wines that express the terroir of estate vineyards on Mount Veeder and in the Carneros district.

Ed Sbragia
Sbragia Family Vineyards
Sonoma County, California

Ed is the man who lifted Beringer Vineyards out of the doldrums and turned it into a Napa Valley powerhouse. Twice his wines were named Wine Spectator Wine of the Year -- once for the Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and once for the Private Reserve Chardonnay -- and he crafted perhaps the valley's finest merlot when he developed the single-vineyard icon, Beringer Bancroft Ranch Howell Mountain Merlot, among his many accomplishments at Beringer. Ed now makes blockbuster cabernets under his own label, which bears his name.

Clark Smith
WineSmith
California

Clark was the founding winemaker at R.H. Phillips, where he toiled for seven years before launching Vinovation, a winemaking consulting firm that specializes in innovative techniques gleaned from winemakers the world over. WineSmith is the brand Clark founded with his wife and brother to practice what they like to call GrapeCraft. Clark is one of the most forward-thinking winemakers practicing in California today.

Darice Spinelli
Nickel & Nickel
Napa Valley, California

There is virtually nothing in her winemaking career that hasn't turned to gold after Darice took it on. She was already a star, having made sensational wines at Franciscan, when tapped to be winemaker at Nickel & Nickel in 1998. Two decades later her Nickel & Nickel wines from fabled Napa Valley single vineyards are recognized for the classics that they are. Darice's Nickel & Nickel cabernets, chardonnays and merlots are prized for their brilliance, their balance and their longevity. Her tenure at N&N has been nothing if not pure gold.

Dave Stevens
Davon International
Napa Valley, California

Dave is an tnternational winemaking consultant who trots the globe helping make better wine. In another life he was winemaker at Napa's Bouchaine Vineyards, and before that worked closely with Dawnine Dyer as a winemaker at the Napa sparkling wine producer Domaine Chandon.

Duncan Williams
Fallbrook Winery
South Coast, California

Duncan is a member of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture.  He started his winemaking career in the 1980's in California's Sierra Foothills at Montevina Winery, and then Shenandoah Vineyards. He has come into his own at Fallbrook Winery, where he has been making award-winning wines for the past decade.